The Watcher's Crypt
by DementedLunatic
Summary: Chris made the ultimate sacrifice at the end of 'the Catalyst'. This is a Wyatt and Junior centric sequel to the first arc. It follows the Halliwell family as they attempt to bring Chris back to the land of the living. They think they're the ones in control but only until they confront the one who is pulling the strings. If you haven't read 'The Catalyst', kindly read it first.
1. The Watcher's Crypt : Summary & Cast

**The Watcher's Crypt**

**Summary: **Chris made the ultimate sacrifice at the end of 'the Catalyst'. This is a Wyatt and Junior centric sequel to the first arc. It follows the Halliwell family as they attempt to bring Chris back to the land of the living. They think they're the ones in control but only until they confront the one who is pulling the strings. Wyatt's quest will be heavily influenced by some of my favorite role-playing games. I hope you guys like it.

**The cast: **These are the actors/actresses I imagine playing the respective characters. I will update this document if I add any more characters. In order to avoid confusion I have also decided to include powers and innate abilities wielded by each of the characters.

**Notes:** The numbers in the parenthesis () indicate age of the character.

The powers are enclosed in braces {}. And innate abilities are enclosed in square brackets [].

I'm introducing the concept of innate abilities in this story. The main difference between powers and innate abilities is that it is possible to tap into powers but not into innate abilities. As an example, unification and control of the Equalizer are Chris's innate abilities and Wyatt or other telepaths/empaths cannot tap into it. But electro-kinesis is a power and it can be tapped into. I have some specific scenes planned for this story where this concept will be elaborated more.

Chris and Wyatt can effortlessly tap into each other's powers due to their bond as brothers. However, the brothers are so powerful on their own that they hardly ever need to do so.

Prue, Evan and Carver can achieve similar effect using their respective empathy and telepathy. However it's not as easy as it is for Wyatt and Chris.

Dan now has elder powers given to him by Roland. He can also tap into other people's powers using Carver's amulet but the task is very difficult for him to succeed.

Parents and children are grouped together.

* Indicate apparent age rather than actual age.

** Leo started aging after he became a mortal.

# Indicates previous generation.

**Disclaimer:** I _do not_ own Charmed or any of its characters except the ones I make up. I _do not_ seek to make profit out of this story.

* * *

**Halliwell Family:**

* * *

**#Piper Halliwell (50) – Holly Marie Combs** {Molecular acceleration/deceleration}[Power of three with her sisters]

**#Leo Wyatt (50**) – Brian Krause** {None} [Outstanding knowledge of magic]

**Wyatt Matthew Halliwell (24) – Wes Ramsey** {Orbing, sensing, telekinesis (ordinary and orbing), healing, astral projection, energy balls, plasma balls, power blast, all of Chris's powers}[Control of the Excalibur, power of two with Chris, abstract link with Chris]

**Christopher Perry Halliwell (22) – Drew Fuller** {Orbing, sensing, telekinesis (ordinary and orbing), Electro-kinesis, healing, all of Wyatt's powers} [Control of the Equalizer, unification, Extraordinary knowledge of the book of shadows, abilities as the Catalyst, power of two with Wyatt, abstract link with Wyatt]

* * *

**#Phoebe Halliwell (47) – Alyssa Milano** {Premonitions, levitation, empathy} [power of three with her sisters]

**#Coop (33*) – Victor Webster** {teleportation, time travel using his ring} [Love]

**Prudence Paige Halliwell (21) – Nina Dobrev** {Empathy, teleportation} [None yet]

**Reese Christopher Halliwell (19) – Gregg Sulkin** {Levitation, teleportation} [Oracle]

* * *

**#Paige Matthews (45) – Rose McGowan** {Orbing, telekinetic orbing, healing} [power of three with her sisters]

**#Henry Mitchel (44) – Ivan Sergei** {None}[Immunity to magic due to the poison]

**Henry Wyatt Mitchel - Halliwell Jr. (20)** – Bradley James {Orbing, sensing, healing, telekinetic orbing} [Exceptional knowledge of the book of shadows]

**Penelope Phoebe Mitchel (18) - Mary-Kate Olsen** {Orbing, sensing, telekinetic orbing}[None yet]

**Patricia Piper Halliwell (18) – Ashley Olsen** {Orbing, sensing, telekinetic orbing}[None yet]

* * *

**Friends and acquaintances:**

* * *

**#Billie Jenkins (40) – Kaley Cuoco** {Projection, telekinesis}[None]

**#JD Campbell (28*) – Jay Kenneth Johnson** {Orbing, sensing, healing}

**Adam Philip Campbell (19) – David Henrie** {Orbing, sensing, healing, projection} [None yet]

* * *

**#Derek Walker (52) - Seth Peterson** {None}[None]

**Daniel Gregory Walker (24) – Jonathan Rhys Meyers** {Elder powers not mastered yet, Carver's amulet} [None yet]

**Ella Josephine Walker (21) – Mia Kunis** {Fire whip, fire shield, fire breath} [None yet]

* * *

**Carver Julian Miller (26) – Luke McFarlane** {Telepathy} [None yet]

**Evan Allen Miller (24) – David Monahan** {Empathy} [Listener]

* * *

**Aaron Adam Johnson (22) - Steve Sandvoss** {None} [None]

**Catherine Psarra (23) - Cobie Smulders** {Unknown} [Unknown]

* * *

**Elders and Other Magical Beings:**

* * *

**Niles (23) - Freddie Smith** {All Chris's powers} [All Chris's abilities]

**Niall (23) - Chandler Massey** {All Chris's powers} [All Chris's abilities]

* * *

**Arrazigal (22*) – Ben Seton** {Unknown} [Unknown]

**Angel of destiny Roland (28*) – Eyal Podell** {Unknown} [Unknown]

* * *

**Elder Sandra (45*) – Elizabeth Dennehy** {Elder powers} [None]

**Elder Kevin (15*) – Andrew James Allen** {Elder powers} [None]

**Elder Odin (57*) – John de Lancie** {Elder powers}[None]

**Elder Jonnah (45*) - Nigel Gibbs** {Elder powers}[None]

* * *

**Andris (23) - Brant Daugherty** {Orbing, unknown} [Unknown]

**The Lady (Unknown) – Unidentified** {Unknown} [Unknown]

**Kheel (68*) – Bruce Gray** {None}[None]


	2. Survivors

**Author's Notes:** Thank you all who reviewed and/or added me/'The Catalyst' to their favorites. This story is the sequel to 'The Catalyst'. I would recommend reading it before you begin reading this story, as it will make little sense otherwise.

I have decided to make the chapters of this story a bit smaller as compared to the first arc. Hopefully, this will mean faster updates. I'm not yet sure how long this story is going to be but it won't be longer than the first arc.

This story will mainly consist of Wyatt's attempts at bringing Chris back. In other words, this is mostly a Wyatt centric story. So Chris still has a role to play but a less obvious one. I'm a huge fan of Chris myself and I miss him too much already. So much so that while writing this chapter, on more than one occasion, I have been tempted to just fast-forward through to the part of the story where Chris will come back. There are many stories dedicated to Chris out there but people tend to give Wyatt lesser importance. In this story, I will try my best to explore Wyatt and Junior's characters further. I sincerely hope that all the Chris fans (including myself) do not loose interest in this story.

I am a huge fan of RPGs as well and Wyatt's quest to bring his brother back will be heavily influenced by some of my all time favorite RPGs (such as D&D based games like Baldur's Gate among others). I know I'm going to enjoy writing this story. I hope you guys enjoy reading it just as much.

I would also like to take this opportunity to respond to the reviews to the last chapter and the epilogues to the Catalyst.

**Crystalzap**: I'm making the chapters a bit smaller. Hopefully it will result in more frequent updates. It might also make it a little bit easier for my readers with busy schedules to keep track of the story. Chris will be back. I'm eager to bring him back too but all must happen in good time.

**lizardmomma**: Thank you for your kind words.

**ReCharmed**: I'm not entirely sure if Chris would call it 'greater good' as he hates that term as much as any Halliwell. But it really does boil down to his kind heart and selfless nature. I miss Chris too and if time allows, I'm thinking of writing another Chris story in parallel to remedy the Chris withdrawal symptoms.

**rettop-yrrah**: I'm glad you like it. I hope you enjoy this arc just as much. I have tried to cover the reactions of the family in this chapter.

**SuperBadKitty37**: Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.

**myra**: Thank you. I can neither confirm nor deny your theories, as it will spoil the ending of this arc. But I always love to hear what my readers think will happen next.

**MerlinStar**: I really did act like the source of all that is evil, didn't I? Sorry about that but I had to end the Catalyst the way I did. I'll tie any loose ends from the Catalyst in this story, I promise.

**alice jonas**: That is an excellent suggestion made by you and also by **Crystalzap**. I have added a small note at the end of the Catalyst to point any new readers to the sequel. Thank you.

**Disclaimer:** I _do not_ own Charmed or any of its characters except the ones I make up. I _do not_ intend to make profit out of this story.

* * *

**Survivors**

"Why? Why would he do that?" Piper said in a broken voice. Junior had just finished reading Chris's letter. Wyatt glanced at his mother and seeing the mighty Halliwell matriarch in such a pitiful state broke his heart.

"Mom…" Wyatt whispered as he pulled his mother in a hug. Piper broke down and began sobbing uncontrollably. The fact that she had lost her youngest son had hit her full force. Wyatt closed his eyes tightly, trying very hard to be strong for his family. Ever since the sisters and Leo had told the children about the evil Wyatt and Chris's time travel, Wyatt had been upset with his parents. His initial anger had subsided long ago. He had been civil towards Piper and Leo but the love and emotion had been missing… till now. Right now, his mom needed her only remaining son and he was going to be there for her. At that moment, all his anger and issues during past few weeks seemed so petty and meaningless that he felt a bit ashamed of himself.

"Shhh, Don't worry, mom. We'll get him back. I promise, I'll bring him back, no matter what it takes," Wyatt said in a resolute voice. And Piper believed him. Leo was still flipping through the book in hope to find something useful in there. Piper let go of Wyatt after a minute. Phoebe held her hand and guided her to aunt Perl's sofa. Her two sisters sat besides her to offer comfort.

"Do you know exactly what he did?" Leo asked suddenly. His question was not directed to anyone specific but he was expecting some response from Wyatt and Junior for certain.

"He sent me to research on some ancient ritual that created massive portals. I think he was contemplating opening a powerful enough portal that could suck in and trap Gideon's detonated core. And all the power surge it caused. And I suspect that's what he did. Only, if I'm reading the situation correctly, there has to be a magical void on the other side of the portal. I think it sucked him in along with Gideon's power," Junior said. Piper gasped in shock at this explanation. It was too much for her to handle and she ran out of the attic, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'll check on her," Paige said before she rushed behind her older sister.

"I'm more surprised that he didn't address Ella in his letter. I wonder if he had talked to her before leaving. May be I should talk to her," Dan said frowning. He hated the fact that Chris had to leave his sister with a broken heart but he didn't blame the half elder. He knew all too well the kind of pressure Chris must have felt. Not long ago, Dan had vanquished himself to save his family. It wasn't a surprise that Chris had done the same.

"No. I'll talk to her. I know how it feels to loose one's love. I can relate to her better," Phoebe said remembering the empty feeling she had had when they were forced to vanquish Cole. She loved Coop with all her heart but she knew the pain all too well. Dan nodded understandingly. He wanted to be there for his sister. After her mother had died when she was only a child, Derek had been both their mother and father. Dan had been her best friend all her life. But at the moment, if Ella needed to talk to a mother figure, he would step back.

"I guess the first step towards fixing this mess is to find out exactly what he did. Reese and I will be downstairs in his room to see if Reese can get anything off of his stuff. May be we'd get lucky and Reese might get a vision showing us exactly what spell he cast. Then we can try and reverse it or fix it or whatever. Call us if you need us," Junior told Wyatt sensing that him and Leo needed some alone time to talk. Wyatt nodded and the two left the room.

* * *

"Sweetheart, are you OK?" Phoebe asked Ella, concern evident in her voice. Ella only nodded. Phoebe held her left hand and guided her to the couch in the living room at the manor. She could feel that something was very wrong with Ella. The part dragon had not used the empathy-blocking potion and Phoebe was prepared to be drowned in a whirlpool of emotions when she approached the girl. To her surprise, she didn't feel as strong emotions as she was expecting. There was sadness, overwhelming sadness but also a sense of composure. Ella had a temper to match that of a dragon. Under ordinary circumstances, Phoebe wouldn't have been surprised if Ella's powers had gone haywire. Naturally, she assumed that this sense of composure was forced, rather than natural. She was sure Ella was bottling up her anger.

"Ella, I know you must be heartbroken and angry at Chris for leaving you like this but it is not a good idea for magical folk like us to keep our emotions bottled up. Our powers are tied to our emotions; remember? You do not want to risk loosing control of your powers, do you? Talk to me," the empath said to the part dragon in a gentle voice. Ella didn't respond. Phoebe held her chin and gently turned Ella's face towards her.

"I'm OK, aunt Phoebe. You don't need to worry about me," Ella tried to reassure her. Phoebe was staring at her intently by now. This caused the girl to squirm a little.

"You're OK? I know how much you love Chris, how much you've always loved him. He sacrificed himself and left you behind and you're OK? He didn't address you in his letter and still, you're OK? Ella, dear, do you know something that I don't? Did Chris talk to you before he left? Did you know what he was planning to do?" Phoebe asked the half dragon who was nervously fidgeting by now. Phoebe's stare intensified when Ella averted her eyes and refused to respond.

"I see. What did he tell you?" Phoebe asked her after taking a deep breath to calm her own emotions. She couldn't help but think that if Ella had warned them about what Chris was planning, they might have been able to do something to prevent it.

"Nothing. He didn't give me any details of his plans. He told me that he had to leave the family and me to save the world. Then I asked him to take me with him…" Ella said before giving a choked sob. Her carefully guarded emotions were threatening to burst out. Phoebe wiped her own tears. This five foot nothing girl had so much courage and love for her nephew that she was willing to jump into the unknown just to be with him. Phoebe pulled her closer and began rubbing calming circles on her back.

"Then what happened?" the empath prompted when Ella didn't continue after a silence of few minutes. Ella wasn't sure how much she could tell Phoebe without revealing too much about Niles's identity. Chris had told her about it in confidence and Phoebe wasn't exactly known for her ability to keep secrets. But she had to give the empath something otherwise Phoebe would keep digging.

"He told me that somehow he knew, because of Niles, that he will be back from where ever he was going. He also told me that I couldn't follow him because, although he was sure of his return, he wasn't sure of my survival if I did follow him," Ella explained. Everyone knew that Niles was from outside their time and it would make sense that he knew if this was supposed to happen. Phoebe had enough experience with future boys that she decided to drop that line of questioning.

"He does seem to trust Niles quite a bit. Did he tell you about the future boy's real identity? He says in his letter that he knows who Niles is," Phoebe inquired.

"Chris kept his own identity secret when he travelled back. Do you really think he would jeopardize the future by telling me?" Ella lied through her teeth. She knew who Niles was and as outlandish as it sounded, she trusted Chris. She also knew that Chris must have had a good reason for not revealing it to his family. She had to keep Niles's identity a secret even if she didn't fully understand why. Perhaps she would have a chat with Chris's instinct herself.

"I suppose you're right. Isn't it annoying when he refuses to give you some important information citing 'future consequences'?" Phoebe said, making a perfect Chris imitation when she said 'future consequences'. Ella gave a sad smile and agreed with her wholeheartedly.

"By the way, we need to find a way to tell Piper what you told me…" Phoebe paused for a moment when she saw a panicked look in Ella's eyes. Piper could be scary when she wanted to.

"I know you're scared that she will be pissed at you for not telling us before. She doesn't need to know that you knew it before it happened. But she also needs to know that her son is going to come back to her. She's a mother. Trust me there is no greater pain than that of loosing your child. She needs to know," Phoebe said remembering the child she had conceived with Cole and subsequently lost. Ella reluctantly nodded.

* * *

"Anything? Bugs we're running out of time," Junior asked impatiently. Reese and Henry Jr. had been in Chris's room for past half an hour and the Oracle was trying to get a vision about his lost cousin while Junior was searching Chris's notes on the recent magical mayhem that he hadn't yet entered in the book. So far they didn't have anything.

"It's not a perfect science, Odie. And it doesn't always work. You're making me self conscious," Reese said, a bit annoyed at his cousin's pushy attitude.

"Oh boo hoo. Little bunny is nervous. Get over it already. We've bigger problems," Junior said scowling. He was usually not this abrasive and certainly not towards his younger cousins. But Chris's departure had pushed him to the edge. Reese took a deep breath to calm his own temper and renewed his efforts to receive a vision about Chris's fate. He could understand how Junior was feeling because he was feeling the same way. But unlike him, Junior had an added sense of responsibility. With Chris gone, Henry Jr. was pretty much the brain behind their 'Operation Save Kitten'. Everyone would now expect him to come up with innovative solutions to their supernatural problems on the fly like Chris did. Junior was smart enough to bear that responsibility. Nevertheless, Reese wouldn't want to be in his shoes.

"I'm trying my best," was his only response. Junior winced a little at the hurt in Reese's voice.

"I'm sorry Bugs. I didn't mean to snap at you," Junior said in an apologetic tone. Reese smiled and shrugged.

"I know you didn't mean it, Odie. And I understand how you feel. I miss him too, you know," Reese said understandingly. He gently put Chris's shirt back into the hamper and walked towards Junior who was sitting on Chris's bed. The Oracle sat besides his big cousin in silence for a few moments before Junior spoke up.

"I'm just a little bit on edge here. I know Wyatt and the other are expecting me to come up with some brilliant strategy on the fly like Chrissie used to do. And I've got nothing, absolutely nothing. It's as if my brain's got turned into cottage cheese. Ugh! It's so incredibly infuriating! And I've got no way to vent that frustration either," Junior said as he closed his eyes and threw himself back on the bed. He banged his head against the mattress a few times as if that was going to help his brain kick into gear.

"I can only imagine it. But I'm getting the feeling that that's not the only thing that's bothering you," Reese said frowning a little. He was not an empath like his mother but he had inherited uncanny ability to read people from both of his parents. He lay down besides Junior.

"You know you can talk to me. I'm not going to judge you or anything," Reese said in a soft voice. Junior wasn't sure if Reese was referring to his secret love interest or the fact that he had failed in recognizing Chris's plans when he sent him on the research expedition. He didn't want to talk about his love life with his cupid of a little cousin so he conveniently assumed that Reese was talking about the later.

"I messed up spectacularly, didn't I?" Junior whispered dejectedly. Reese turned on his side and stared at him, a frown of confusion firmly in place.

"Care to elaborate?" the half cupid asked. Junior rolled his eyes.

"Do I have to spell it out? Chris sent me to research about portals and some creepy soul shattering magic. I should have seen it coming. I know how his brain works… worked…" Junior managed to say before his words were caught in a choked sob. Reese took a deep breath.

"He's not dead yet, you know that, don't you? His diary didn't open. It means he's not moved on. We just need to find a way to bring him back. And you need to focus. I know it's not going to make you feel any better but you have to pull it together. We need you. And I know you can do it. We're Halliwells. We don't give up," Reese said in an encouraging voice.

"But what if I can't. What if I fail again? I'll not only loose my brother, I'll loose the whole family. They're not going to forgive me ever if I fail in saving Chris again," Junior revealed his deepest fear. Reese gave him an incredulous look.

"Your brain really has turned into cottage cheese, hasn't it?" the oracle commented. Junior opened his eyes and glanced at him in confusion.

"You're brilliant like Chris but sometimes you think like an idiot. We all love you no matter how screwed up things get. We're survivors. You only need to skim the book to realize that we always pull through. In an alternate timeline, Wy was the source and Chrissie still loved him. Mom and the aunts treated Chris like crap in the past and he still loves them. My mom loved Cole and the sisters had to vanquish him. They still love each other. The whole debacle with aunt Prue's death hasn't made aunt Prue love her sisters any less. How many more examples do I have to give you? There is no doubt in my mind that you will come up with a way to save Chris and I also know that the family will love you no matter the outcome. You just need to trust in yourself," Reese said in a firm yet encouraging voice.

"You sound like uncle Leo in his white-lighter mode," Junior said smiling.

"Is it working?" Reese asked raising his eyebrows. Junior only nodded affirmative.

"Good. Now let's get back to work; magical work, I mean. I cannot imagine being in our dad's and uncle Leo's positions, being stuck doing mortal work to keep us out of bankruptcy. I don't miss school work either," Reese said offering Junior a hand.

"Well, this situation really is extreme. I don't think we need to worry about schoolwork too much. If Ari wants us to risk our asses saving the world, he better come up with a solution to our mortal problems. Thankfully, it's winter break. I really do not want to spend days in the dungeon at the magic school," junior said shuddering. Whenever the sisters and cousins were too busy in supernatural emergencies, Coop, Henry Sr. and Leo would pick up the mortal duties. But there was no such solution available for missed classes at the magic or mortal school. A long time ago, when they had to ignore their schoolwork for too long, Elder Kevin had come up with a brilliant solution. He had enchanted a classroom at the magic school so that the time passed slowly in that room as compared to the mortal world. That way the cousins could finish several days' worth of studying in just a few minutes. It helped them maintain their grades. Nevertheless, all of them passionately hated being stuck in that room. The cousins had named that particular classroom as 'the dungeon'.

"May be we could try brewing a potion to enhance our chances to get a vision," Reese suggested. Junior looked properly scandalized.

"Don't you remember the story about uncle Darrel nearly getting executed after your mom tried that stunt? She also lost her powers for some time. We want to save Chris not get ourselves erased by the cleaners," Junior said in an admonishing tone.

"The cleaners are not going to erase us. I don't think Ari would let them. Chris is important for his precious prophecy to come true. And we're doing this to get him back. So I think we're safe on that front. Nothing ventured; nothing gained, right?" Reese asked smugly. Junior narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know why Chris said in his letter that I was more mischievous than you. If anything, you're the devil with an angel's face. Compared to you; I am a saint…" Junior said indignantly.

"Does a saint orb his principal's car to the waiting room of his office? Does a saint mix his cousin's deodorant with skunk spray?" Reese asked rhetorically.

"I didn't dye his ridiculous wig with pink dye. He gave me detention for a prank that I didn't pull. If I was going to pay the price, I might as well do the crime. And Wyatt had it coming. He sprayed my pants with brown color and humiliated me in front of the whole school. It served him well not being able to date for weeks…" Junior began justifying his actions.

"Don't forget the fact that Chris refused to sleep in the same room and made Wyatt sleep in the tree house till the smell was gone," Reese added helpfully.

"Whatever. But all that's irrelevant here. We cannot force vision and be completely sure of their legitimacy," Junior said avoiding eye contact.

"You do know that I was the one who dyed the princy's wig?" Reese asked smirking a little. He was determined to get his brother out of his depressing mood.

"Yes. I always knew it was you. And so did Chris. I think Wyatt was the only oblivious one. Who else could it have been? And it is in your best interest not to remind me of the fact that I was the one who paid for your stupid prank," Junior said in mock anger. But Reese's smile was contagious. For a moment, the fond memories of their school adventures overcame the sadness that filled their hearts. After that necessary bit of light hearted banter, Reese renewed his efforts at getting a vision while Junior began going through Chris's notebooks to see if he found any vital clue as to what had happened. The smiles on their faces lingered for quite a while.

* * *

"Dad, how're you holding up?" Wyatt asked his father after a few minutes of tense silence. Leo was still furiously flipping through the book.

"Dad?" Wyatt prompted once again as Leo failed to respond for a few minutes.

"Hmm?" the ex-elder asked as he felt his son's hand on his arm.

"We're going to get him back. You know that, don't you? I'm not giving up on my baby brother, no matter what happens. He gave up his life for me once before. I'm not going to loose him again," Wyatt said in a reassuring tone. And suddenly, the floodgates were open. Leo pulled his eldest son in a hug and gave a choked sob.

"I can't loose him again, Wyatt. I have seen him fade away once. He slipped through my fingers and I didn't even have a body to bury. I don't think I can survive that pain again…" Leo said, his tears running freely down his cheeks by now. Up until now he had held himself together for his wife but he couldn't do it anymore. Last time he had lost Chris, he had gone on a rampage looking for Barbas, killing every demon that dared step in his path. This time he had no powers and no way to vent his anger. But he wasn't going to sit and wallow in grief. He was going to do everything in his power to help his son. With that resolution, Leo wiped his tears and took a deep breath.

"I know you'll do every thing in your power to get him back. And I'm going to help you to the best of my ability. I may no longer have my powers but I have the knowledge as to how the magical world works. I may not be of much use in combat but I'm good at research. We're going to do this together," Leo said in a resolute voice. With his father's assurance, Wyatt felt a renewed sense of confidence and determination.

"It's good to know that at least you believe in me," Wyatt whispered under his breath. Leo was shocked at this statement.

"What do you mean, son? I know your mother believes in you, the whole family does. I know for a fact that there is no Halliwell, dead or alive who would doubt the abilities of the twice blessed. You're the king Arthur of the modern day," Leo said carefully gaging his son's reaction.

"I'm not so sure of that, dad. I know all my cousins think of me as a goofball. I think Chris was the only one who took me seriously and that's because of our link. He understood me because he knew how I felt, what I thought. He was the one to take charge. I don't know about being king Arthur. I don't think I have it in me to take charge and lead anyone. Chris was the one who had all the answers. The only thing I have is power," Wyatt said shrugging.

"Wyatt, listen to me carefully. You don't need to have all the answers. You have your family to help you. And even if they think of you as a goofball, they know you're serious about protecting your family. Chris and Junior are exceptionally smart but don't sell yourself short," Leo reassured his son. Wyatt nodded reluctantly. Leo knew he hadnt fully convinced Wyatt of his ability to lead but the self-worth lessons will have to wait. They had bigger fish to fry.

"I think first thing we need to do is restore the magic school; or at least the library. We're going to need it for our research. We cannot simply rely on the book of shadows. Dad, there must be other libraries where we can borrow books from, can't we? I'm sure there was a spell here somewhere to duplicate magically protected scriptures. May be we can get the elders to use their influence to get all the necessary reference books from other magic schools around the world," Wyatt suggested while flipping through the book.

"Yes son. That's an excellent idea," Leo said with a proud smile on his face.

* * *

After nearly an hour and a half of fruitless attempts at getting a vision off of Chris's stuff, Junior and Reese returned to the attic. Looking at the frustrated look on Wyatt's face, he apparently hadn't made any progress either. To make things worse, Gideon's powers had destroyed the magic school library too. That meant they were left with only one reference, the book of shadows.

"We need a plan of action, people. But first, we need to figure out exactly what happened to Chris," Junior said taking charge, painfully reminding Piper of her lost son. But she knew her family was there for her, to help her get through this difficult time.

The witches began brainstorming to try and come up with ways in which they can gather vital information about Chris's fate.

* * *

**So ends the first chapter**

**I know there wasn't any real action in this chapter but I wanted to spend some time on exploring how the family was coping with their loss. But the real action is not too far away so please keep an eye out for the next chapter.**

**I also realize that Piper's reaction was described very briefly. My first attempt at capturing her reaction made it too morbid for my liking so I ended up deleting that part. But we may see a bit more of Piper's reaction in the next chapter.**

**Kindly read and review.**


	3. Dead Ends

**Author's Notes:** Thank you all who reviewed the last chapter and/or added me/this story to their favorites.

**alice jonas** and **MsDrea**: It's going to be some time before all is revealed but I'll try my best to make it a fun journey.

**lizardmomma**: I'm glad you liked it. I hope you like this chapter too. It's going to be a tough road ahead for the family without Chris. It's also difficult for me because I miss Chris too much already.

**Crystalzap**: That was an excellent suggestion. Although in my story, Niles is not a push over and he's unlikely to divulge any future information in an interrogation, there is nothing that would stop the Halliwells from trying. So I decided to include it in the story. I hope you like my interpretation of your comment in this chapter.

Despite the title of the chapter, the Halliwell witches may just have stumbled upon a breakthrough at the end of this chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I _do not_ own Charmed or any of its characters except the ones I make up. I _do not_ intend to make profit out of this story.

* * *

**Dead Ends**

"Alright. So, here's what we know for sure. Chris is not dead, at least not in a traditional sense of the word. The diary he locked with his life force is still locked. Which means he hasn't moved on or anything. This makes more sense when we couple it with our theory that Chris opened a massive portal with an enormous magical void on the other side. The void sucked in Gideon's detonated core but it also took Chris along with it. So all we need to do is find a way to bring him back," Junior summarized their discussion over the past hour.

"If he's trapped with Gideon's detonated core, how's he surviving there? I mean it took considerable efforts on Niles's part to contain the explosion long enough to let us escape from magic school. How much time do we have before…" Wyatt couldn't finish his question as his emotions threatened to take over.

"We don't know the answer to that, yet. But in order to figure that out, we first need to find out exactly what happened. I can see three options. We can go and talk to the elders and see what they know about Chris. We can summon Ari and ask him the same thing. Or we can ask Niles. He seems to know a lot more than us, which is understandable considering the fact that he's from outside our timeline," Junior listed their options. Wyatt grimaced a little.

"I know you like the guy but I don't exactly trust Niles. We have one more option. We can interrogate some demons. Someone must know something about Gideon's plans. Also, I've read about certain demons in the book that can detect power surges. If Chris created a portal to absorb Gideon's powers, there must've been at least a momentary power surge in a place where he created the portal. May be they could point us to the place and we can take it from there," Wyatt suggested. Usually, he wasn't the one to come up with ideas but his chat with his father earlier had given him the motivation to lead and contribute in something other than power.

"That's an excellent suggestion, Wyatt. I guess it's time to divide and conquer," Junior said feeling a bit proud of Wyatt. Leo didn't say anything but the glint in his eyes said that he was feeling proud of Wyatt too.

"So, who's going where? Odin is still leading the elder council. So we need someone _tactful_ to go 'up there'," Reese spoke up for the first time glancing meaningfully at Wyatt. The twice blessed rolled his eyes. It wasn't a secret that Wyatt was possibly one of the most tactless Halliwells ever to walk the earth.

"Odin is egotistical. May be we can do something to soothe his ego. I'd hate to indulge that pompous ass of an elder but if it makes our job a little easier, I'd do it," Junior said shrugging. The grimace on his face said unequivocally that he'd rather jump naked through an ice-fishing hole but at the moment he didn't see any other option.

"Nothing short of comprehensive scratching is going to soothe Odin's bruised ego; something I'm certain you're disinclined to provide…" Carver said rolling his eyes but was interrupted by Junior.

"If that's what it takes to get Kit back, so be it. I'd grovel and beg if I have to. Chrissie is more important to me than my pride," Junior said, his voice laced with guilt. He hadn't forgiven himself for not seeing through Chris's plans.

"It might not be that bad. May be we could avoid Odin all together and find Sandra and Kevin," Reese suggested.

"I seriously doubt we can avoid Odin completely but it's worth a try. I think Wyatt and I should go and talk to the elders. Wyatt's twice blessed status might help us if he manages to keep his temper under control," Junior said staring at Wyatt meaningfully. Wyatt rolled his eyes but nodded his approval of the plan.

"We can try and summon Ari and see what he knows. A 'power of three' summoning spell should work if he insists on not showing up," Paige said looking at her sisters smugly. Phoebe and Piper nodded with a hint of smile on their faces.

"I'll go to the underworld and fry some demons," Dan volunteered. Every Halliwell in the attic yelled in unison, "NO!" The half manticore scowled at them all collectively.

"You still don't have complete command over your newly acquired elder powers. Besides, there is something else we need you to do. We need your help in restoring the magic school. Penny, Patty and Adam could go to the school and go nuts with mom's cleanup spell. I know that some of the books were rare and cannot be copied or restored using such a simplistic spell. But there is a 'power of three' spell in the book to make copies of magically protected scriptures. We need the originals for that spell to work. While the twins and Adam restore the school furniture and other property, you, uncle Leo and uncle JD could visit other magic schools around the globe and borrow their books to be copied," Junior said before Dan got angrier at the family's over-protectiveness.

"But…" Dan tried to protest but was interrupted by Wyatt.

"Danny boy, we cannot rely on the book of shadows for all our research. We need to restore the library if we're ever going to get Chrissie back. Please, this needs to be done sooner rather than later," the twice blessed said in a sincere tone. Reluctantly, Dan nodded.

"I could go to the underworld with aunt Billie and Ella on a recon mission," Prue said excitedly. Seeing as Dan was about to protest, she bulldozed through her speech.

"And we have enough firepower among the three of us to face any demon, so I'd suggest you shove your over-protectiveness where the sun doesn't shine," Prue growled at Dan who glared back but didn't say anything. After much discussion, all of them agreed, although some more reluctantly than others, to the same plan.

* * *

"The half breeds," Odin sneered as soon as he saw Junior and Wyatt orb in to the elder land. Junior grabbed Wyatt's hand in order to keep him from doing something counterproductive. There was no way they were going to be able to avoid Odin now. They had to talk to him.

"I'm OK," Wyatt assured his little cousin in a whispered voice. Junior was obviously worried that Wyatt was going to lash out in response to the elder's insulting comment.

"I'm sure you know what happened with Chris…" Junior began talking to the elder who interrupted the witch-lighter quite rudely.

"Yes. He did his job as a witch and served the greater good. Something the rest of you seem less inclined to do these days," Odin commented. Wyatt began taking deep breaths in order to calm his temper. Odin was obviously not concerned about the fact that Chris was gone. The elder was the leader of the faction among the elder council that believed that Chris and Wyatt's very existence was a threat to the balance between good and evil. Although he was not a fanatic like Gideon who would actively try to kill the witch-lighters but if they happen do die while performing their Wiccan duties, he wouldn't be bothered by it.

"We have reason to believe that he's not dead in the conventional sense of the term…" Wyatt's speech was interrupted by Junior. Wyatt frowned at the interruption but Junior plowed on. Obviously, Junior didn't want to share their theories with the elder should he decide to try and do something to stop them.

"And we want to bring him back. Please, we would greatly appreciate any information you can give us to achieve our goal. Chris has given up so much for the greater good. He deserves another chance at a good life," Junior said in a pleading voice. It hurt Wyatt immensely to see his proud little cousin talking in such a desperate tone but they had to do it for Chris.

"Bring him back? Are you out of your mind? You have to understand that by attempting such a thing you disturb the delicate balance of this world. What if it unleashes Gideon's evil on the world? Besides, some things are just not meant to be. May be your cousin just wasn't meant to live beyond his twenty-third birthday. His fate is regrettable. But you still have your Wiccan duties…" Odin said not sounding the least bit regretful. He would have continued babbling about Chris's fate and Wyatt's job as a witch, without realizing how close he came to being blown up like confetti. Wyatt growled under his breath and that finally caught the elder's attention. The murderous look on Wyatt's face was enough to make his words freeze in his throat. Fortunately for the elder, Sandra orbed in at that very moment and dragged the Halliwells away. Odin was about to protest but shut his mouth as he realized that Sandra and Kevin might be the only two who could prevent the angry twice blessed from destroying their realm. With the scion of balance on their side, calling the cleaners and erasing him was out of the question. There was not much he could do but to let Sandra talk the two down.

"Do you know anything about Chris? Where is he?" Wyatt asked in a cold, unemotional voice. He had swallowed his pride and hatred towards the elders for his brother's sake.

"No. We sensed the power surge caused by Chris's spell but it was too short lived for Kevin or me to get a fix on its location. We simply don't know. But if we find out something, you'll be the first one to know," Sandra assured them.

* * *

Down in the underworld, Prue, Billie and Ella weren't having much luck either.

"We must have questioned like two dozen demons. How's it possible that none of them knew anything about Gideon's plans. Aren't all demons supposed to know what the source is doing or something?" Ella asked irritated.

"No. They can sense the source's presence but not necessarily what he's planning or doing," Prue replied as she stepped over the ashes of the demon they had just vanquished.

"May be we're just not asking the right question," Billy suggested. When both her companions stared at her in confusion, Billy elaborated.

"Look, so far, we've been asking them about Gideon's plans. May be we should ask about his last known location. I mean, if the demons can sense his presence, they might know where he was before Chris's portal sucked him in. It might give us his last known location and possibly that of Chris," the older witch explained. Prue and Ella's faces brightened at this proposal. The three began their mission anew.

* * *

"This is hopeless. Mom's spell is just not strong enough to rebuild the school from ground up. I mean, look at this place. There is nothing left but ashes and dust," Patty said brushing off a few specks of dust that had landed on her shoes. The Magic school was in ruins. All the inner walls had collapsed and turned to dust by the explosion. All the wooden furniture, doors, windows, bookshelves and curtains were obliterated. Adam, Penny and Patty had tried, unsuccessfully, to restore the space with any and all restoration spells they could think of. But they weren't even sure if they were standing in the ruins of the great hall or the headmaster's office.

"We need to get mom and the aunts or Wyatt and Junior. This is beyond our capabilities," Penny said dejectedly. Adam reluctantly agreed with them and the three orbed back to the manor.

* * *

"OK, people, we've encountered dead ends on all fronts but one. Other magic schools have agreed to lend us their copies of the books but we don't have a library to put the books in. So even that little success doesn't help us much. The elder's weren't much help and the girl's mission in the underworld didn't yield much either. Some demons sensed the source's presence somewhere in the middle of the Indian ocean but nobody could pinpoint the locations for us. But Ari's suggestion to talk to Niles is worth considering. Let's focus on one problem at a time. There might be another way to find out what spell Chris used. He told me that Merlin, when he was here, had taught him the spell. And Niles some how knew that Merlin was supposed to teach Chris that spell. Which also means Niles knew what was going to happen…" Junior's speech was cut short by an angry hiss from Wyatt.

"He knew. That bastard knew what Gideon was planning and what Chris would have to do to stop him," Wyatt growled as he clenched his palms into fists. Every muscle in his body tightened and the murderous look on his face told the family that if Niles were here, Wyatt would probably have strangled the poor boy.

"Wyatt, calm down. We cannot change what happened. But we can still fix this. And you need to stay calm and rational," Carver told his boyfriend in a soft yet steady voice. The telepath put an arm around the twice blessed and pulled him closer. Wyatt relaxed a little in his lover's embrace.

"Wyatt, we don't know the whole story. Chris knew that Niles was the one to prompt Merlin to teach him that spell. He knew that Niles knew what was going to happen. And still in his letter, Chris says that he trusts Niles with his life. Doesn't that tell you something? I for one would trust Chris's instinct and give the future boy another chance," Paige was the voice of reason. Unwittingly she had hit the bull's-eye. Chris's instinct was precisely the one they needed to trust.

"May be we should call Niles and ask him," Reese said shrugging. Wyatt didn't say anything for a moment but when Junior was about to say something, he interjected.

"I don't trust him. Even if he does give us some answers, we cannot be sure he's telling the truth. Unless…" the twice blessed left his sentence unfinished.

"Unless what? Wyatt?" Carver asked in a fearful tone. He didn't like this darkness that was tainting Wyatt's behavior. Wyatt didn't answer Carver's question. Instead, he asked Junior to call Niles. Still looking doubtful as to what Wyatt had in mind, Junior looked up to the ceiling and yelled.

"Niles, we need you," Junior called. Chris had told them to call the future boy as if they were calling him and that's precisely what Junior had done. However, Wyatt had slightly different plans. As soon as Junior's call left his lips, a thunderbolt struck from the ceiling of the attic to the floor and deposited the illusive time traveller. He could have just orbed but he apparently thought this occasion called for a flashier appearance.

"You rang?" Niles said bowing a little for dramatic effect. But before anyone could utter another word, Wyatt stepped forward.

"Crystals. Circle," the twice blessed said in a cold voice. Everyone in the attic, except Niles was surprised.

"Wyatt, No!" Carver exclaim. Wyatt didn't pay attention to the telepath. Instead he glared at the future boy. Niles was standing in the middle of the cage and had both his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He didn't have an ounce of fear in his eyes and his demeanor suggested that he was expecting something like this from the twice blessed.

"Now, you're going to answer some questions, truthfully," Wyatt said as he walked towards the book.

"Wyatt, what are you doing?" Piper asked in a fearful tone. This version of her son reminded her too much of the evil overlord that had briefly visited them during the whole fiasco with Wyatt's imaginary friend.

"If you're looking for the truth spell, it's not going to work on me," Niles said calmly. Wyatt scowled at him.

"I knew at one point someone among you lot was going to try and get me to reveal the future. I have taken certain precautions against any mind control and thought altering spells," Niles said conversationally. Looking at the slight smirk that appeared on his handsome face, he seemed to be enjoying this exchange a bit too much.

"I have other ways to extract information," Wyatt said darkly. Piper took in a deep breath. She told her again and again that her son was good and he was not going down a slippery slope of evil. Chris had sacrificed a lot to make sure his big brother was good and Wyatt would never insult his brother's sacrifice by giving in to the dark side. But moments like these scared her. It was one thing to interrogate demons and quite another to do the same to witches and white-lighters.

"Wyatt, please," Piper began but before she could say another word, Wyatt threw a very low energy ball at the cage. The energy ball wasn't meant for Niles but the cage in which he stood. One of the electric arcs that formed the bars of the crystal cage broke before being replaced by a new electric arc that kept the cage closed. The broken electric arc lashed at Niles like a whip and sliced open a shallow yet painful wound on the future boy's left arm and chest. Niles hissed in pain but remain standing.

"Like I said, I have other means to extract information," Wyatt said in a cold voice. Every Halliwell in the attic was distinctly uncomfortable with Wyatt's behavior. They wanted some answers but this was not the way.

"I don't doubt it. Getting back a few of your own memories, are you?" Niles asked as he examined the gash on his arm and chest. Wyatt staggered back as if he was hit in the face. Piper and Leo gasped in horror. When the kids were younger, they had considered the possibility that Chris might have his memories from the erased timeline but they never even entertained the idea that Wyatt might, as well. It was bad enough that Chris remembered. If Wyatt ever got his memories from the erased timeline, it would destroy their family.

"No…" Piper whispered shaking her head vehemently. Her face was white as a sheet of paper. Looking at the reaction provoked by his careless remark, Niles turned to Piper sheepishly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was uncalled for, no matter what Wyatt did," the future boy apologized. He was Chris's instinct and embodied Chris's passion and bravery. He was not cold, calculating and apathetic like Niall, Chris's intelligence. Neither was he controlled by an inflexible set of morals like Chris's conscience. He was passionate, primal, a bit feral and most importantly, innocent like a child. And sometimes, he'd let his anger and passion take control of him and lash out without a thought for the repercussions.

"Is it going to happen? Is Wy going to get memories of the dark future?" Carver asked in a fearful tone. Wyatt's face mirrored the fear on his lover's face. After all, Niles was the one who had unbound Chris's memories. What if he did the same to Wyatt?

"Not if I can help it. Look, I shouldn't have said anything. I just got angry and spoke without thinking. I will never let Wyatt get any memories of the other timeline. That will destroy the future. And I apologize for my careless words. But you guys need to understand one thing. I will not be intimidated or tricked into revealing details of the future that you lot have no business knowing," Niles said the last sentence in a steady and resolute voice. The fearful expression on Wyatt's face was replaced by a scowl.

"Do you know how to get Chris back? Please, you have to tell us," Junior asked in an earnest voice before his short-tempered cousin had a chance to say something counterproductive. He also wanted to let the brunette out of the cage but didn't want to piss off Wyatt more than he already was.

"I don't, personally but the Watcher does. He's the one who has the answer you seek," Niles answered in a calm voice. Junior had asked him a reasonable question and Niles didn't see any harm in answering it. Junior was thoughtful for a moment.

"We do not trust you," Wyatt interjected before Junior could ask any other question.

"I never expected you to trust me. But I am asking you to trust Chris, your brother who has given up too much for you. Now, I'm willing to help. That's why I'm here, in this time. But it has to be on equal footing. You cannot lock me in a cage, demand answers and then refuse to believe what I say. That's not going to work and is a huge waste of time," Niles said, not the least bit worried about his current predicament.

"You're not getting out of that cage before you convince us that you are trustworthy," Wyatt told Niles.

"Wy. I'm not sure if that'd work. Stuck in the cage he's not going to be able to give us any physical proof, and if you're going to mistrust anything he says, I don't see a way out of this stalemate," Junior said reasonably. Based on the expression on their faces, Prue, Dan, Reese and the sisters seemed to agree with Junior but Wyatt was adamant.

"No! He's not getting out of that cage until he's proven that we can trust him," Wyatt said again before anyone else had a chance to speak. The twice blessed was taking his father's advice to be a leader a bit too far. Leo was about to remind his firstborn that a good leader always listens to his followers. This fight against evil was a team effort and acting stubbornly like a tyrant was not going to help. However, the future boy beat him to it.

"You're not being a very good leader at the moment, Wyatt. You need to listen to your family. And as for me getting out of this cage, if I decide to break out, there is nothing you can do to stop me," Niles said with a cold and confident smile on his face. He raised both his hands with palms facing outward as if he was pushing against the cage. A silver grid, the kind he had used to contain Gideon's powers, appeared between the cage arcs and his palms. It seemed to be flowing like liquid mercury and within moments covered the entirety of the inside of the crystal cage.

"You might want to step back," Niles warned the Halliwells. Everyone, except Wyatt, stepped back near the attic walls. Wyatt stepped even closer, prepared to blast Niles if he really did manage to break free. Niles shrugged and brought his fingers close together and then made a gesture similar to the one Piper used when using her molecular acceleration. The silver grid flickered momentarily before fusing with the arcs of the crystal cage. With a minor blast, the cage broke and the crystals were turned to dust. Everyone who had wisely stepped back was unharmed but Wyatt, who was standing just a foot in front of the cage, was thrown back into the wall and subsequently landed on his backside.

"I did warn you. Now, as I said before, I'm here to help. Call me when you understand that saving your brother is more important than soothing your hurt pride," Niles said. Wyatt felt that comment like a slap to the face.

"Did you know what Chris was planning to do?" Piper asked with a frown. She was trying her best not to show her out of control emotions but failed miserably as a tear escaped her brown eyes despite her efforts. Niles glanced at her with something akin to fondness before looking away.

"Yes. It was always supposed to happen the way it did. But he'll be back, I assure you. My very presence in this time is the proof. Ever since I arrived in this time, I've been laying groundwork for Chris's return. But I'm going to need you all to trust me in order to achieve that goal. Think of it. If you guys had trusted Chris when he traveled back, his job had been a lot easier. Unfortunately he didn't have anyone vouching for him back then. This time, Chris has told you in his letter that he trusts me. The only question that remains now is how much you trust Chris. Call me when you're willing to listen. ," Niles said. The last statement was addressed to Wyatt who had picked himself up from the attic floor and was staring at the future boy with even more suspicion.

"Wait! Please tell me you know something about my brother," Carver pleaded as he sensed that Niles was about to orb away. Chris's instinct paused for just a moment before taking out an object from his jeans pocket.

"You might find that useful," He said as he carelessly tossed said object towards Carver. Wyatt thought of stepping in between the small projectile and his boyfriend, but he wasn't quick enough. Carver had expertly caught it and before anything else could be said or done, Niles orbed away.

* * *

"What is it?" Wyatt asked worriedly.

"It's Evan's cellphone. I remember it because I was the one who gave it to him as a gift when I got my first real job. It's quite old and outdated but he refuses to upgrade it. He says it's his favorite phone because I was the one who gave it to him," Carver said with tear filled eyes as he gently caressed the electronic gadget.

"How the hell did he get it? Do you think he was behind Evan's accident?" Wyatt asked suspiciously. Junior rolled his eyes.

"Wyatt, if that was the case, do you think he would have given it to us instead of just throwing it into the bay? Enough with the suspicions already, Chris trusts him and it's about time you start doing the same," Junior told his cousin.

"The paramedics who treated Evan never found it. It was not in his personal effects they gave me. I think it must have had been thrown away when he was hit by the car," Carver said gently running his finger along the edge of the smartphone.

"Can you turn it on? May be he got a call or a text message that distracted him or something," Reese added helpfully.

"The display is shattered. I don't think it's going to turn on," Carver said dejectedly.

"May be we can try to heal it. Didn't uncle Leo heal the _P3_ sign after that creepy man tried to turn you three into porcelain figurines? May be it'll work on the broken phone just like if worked on the broken sign," Junior said as he extended his hands to heal the phone. After a couple of seconds, the healing glow from Junior's hands restored the phone to its pristine state.

"Why didn't it work when I tried to heal my phone after I accidentally dropped it from my apartment window?" Wyatt said in an almost whining tone.

"Because, it would have been personal gain. It's password protected. I might be able to hack into it but it'll take time. Do you have any idea what word or phrase Evan might use as a password? You and your brother are as close as Wyatt and Chris. If anyone can guess Evan's password, you can," Junior continued to talk to Carver before Wyatt had a chance to argue further

"There is something else we can try first. Let me see that," Reese said as he extended his left hand. Junior handed the phone to his little cousin. As soon as the device touched Reese's fingers, the Oracle was sucked into a vision.

"Well, what is it?" Junior asked impatiently as his little cousin continued to stare into nothingness after the vision was seemingly over. Reese closed his eyes and with the dispassionate voice he had used to recite Chris's prophecy, Reese began speaking.

_The listener may rise from endless dream,_

_If three if his kin form a formidable team._

_The one of the blood will open the door,_

_The one of the wit will settle the score,_

_The last of the might will save the day,_

_By battling the opponent made of clay._

Reese was silent for another moment before opening his eyes. His gift as an Oracle had come in handy once again. He had made another prophecy; this time it was about Evan. All they needed to do now is to solve the riddle and save Evan, the Listener.

* * *

**So ends the second chapter.**

**Kindly read and review.**


	4. Negotiations

**Author's Notes:** Thank you **lizardmomma** who reviewed the last chapter. Seeing only one review, I'm beginning to wonder if my readers are loosing interest in this story. I sincerely hope that this chapter is better received.

The discussion about using Billie's powers has been included in response to a PM query made by **Jay Warren**.

**Disclaimer:** I _do not_ own Charmed or any of its characters except the ones I make up. I _do not_ intend to make profit out of this story.

* * *

**Negotiations**

"Wonderful. Another Prophecy. And peanut is not here to help me solve it," Junior grimaced.

"You can do this, Odie," Wyatt said to his little cousin reassuringly. Prue and Reese nodded.

"Let's see. The prophecy about Chris says that Evan will wake up when the source is vanquished. So the timing of this new prophecy makes sense. All we need to do is divide and conquer. Wyatt, Carv, Junior, Reese, Dan and I can work on deciphering this new riddle while the older people can figure out a way to restore magic school," Prue said looking between her family members.

"Older people?" Paige hissed as she glared at her niece with narrowed eyes.

"We're old. Get over it," Piper responded before Prue was forced to backpedal. Paige pouted a bit as she glanced at her older sister. At that moment, the stern expression on Piper's face reminded all of them of an annoyed Penny Halliwell. Knowing she didn't have any counter argument, Paige decided to change the subject.

"Oh Alright. But shouldn't we be concentrating on bringing Chris back? I mean, it's going to take a considerable amount of time and energy to restore the school. As far as the research is concerned, the other magic schools are just an orb away," the youngest charmed one said raising her eyebrows.

"It's not just the library and the books for research. Chris's prophecy says that 'the lady' will strike soon. We will need a sanctuary if things go out of hand. We cannot wait till last minute to restore the school. We will need some time to rebuild and reestablish the wards on the school," Leo said insightfully. They couldn't count on the elders to help them restore the school. They'd probably have to do it on their own. And he'd start sooner rather than later.

"Right. Guys, are you going to need the book while working on Evan's prophecy?" Phoebe asked as she picked up the book from the podium.

"Nop. We got the e-book version," Junior answered orbing his tablet computer to his hands.

"Chop chop, people. We've got work to do," Piper said shooing her sisters out of the attic. Junior smiled and turned to the parchment on which he'd noted down Reese's words.

* * *

"Here's an idea, why not just get Billie to project us back in time and keep Chris from doing what he did?" Phoebe said as soon as the sisters, Leo, Coop and Henry Sr. were downstairs in the conservatory. Her question was a logical one as Billie's projection powers had helped them defeat Christy and the Triad. Piper's face lit up at the suggestion. She turned to Leo who's expression told her that it was not that simple.

"It's not going to work," her husband's response was enough for her face to deflate.

"Why the hell not? Billie has successfully projected us back in time before and even if she can't we can always use Coop's ring. It's not as precise as Billie's power but one of the two options has to work," Piper wasn't willing to give up.

"I didn't say it because we don't have the means to travel back in time. I remember the spell Chris took out from the book and I'm sure Paige remembers the potion we were going to use to send Chris back the first time. That's not the point. In this particular situation, time-travel is not a viable option, irrespective of the mode we use," Leo tried to explain but Phoebe interrupted him.

"Why not? And Leo, please explain it in simple terms. I already have a headache," the empath said rubbing her temples.

"Firstly, we don't know when to go back to. Going back to the time just before Chris opened the portal is not going to work because we do not have any other way to get rid of Gideon's core other than to open the portal. We might be able to do it with a power of two or a power of three spell but the fact remains that the portal will suck in who ever cast the spell. In other words, we'll either loose the three of you or Wyatt and Chris both. Some time between the evil Gideon from the parallel world entered our world and the time he confronted us, he booby-trapped his magical core. If he's vanquished after he altered his core, he will detonate and kill us all. The only solution is to go back to a time before he changed his core and vanquish him then. But we don't know when that was," Leo began explaining but this time Henry Sr. interrupted him. He didn't quite understand the magical theory like the rest of the family but being a police officer, he was use to outsmarting deceptive individuals. He often came up with surprisingly simple solutions no one else could think of.

"Why do the spell casters, be they the sisters or the brothers, have to be physically present where the portal opens? Couldn't you guys use that power where you sleep in one place and send your image somewhere else? The way you did when you vanquished Zhankou," Henry Sr. asked. Hearing her husband's description of the astral projection power, an amused smile appeared on Paige's face.

"That's an excellent idea and it would have worked marvelously if the portal didn't need an anchor to this plane. This is not an ordinary portal. It's a massive portal that has magical void on the other side. Such portals are essentially unstable and are more likely to collapse on themselves if not properly anchored. I'm pretty certain that Chris used his physical body as the anchor and his soul as the power source to create the portal. Who ever casts the spell, has to be present there to anchor the portal. Astral projection is not going to work in this case," Leo explained. Henry Sr. felt a bit dejected. Paige smiled at her husband comfortingly.

"Apart from that, time travel, in this case, is a bit of overkill," Leo continued. Piper was properly scandalized at the statement. Their loss was no ordinary one. She would do far worse to get her peanut back. Leo raised his hands in a gesture of surrender before Piper could blow the gasket.

"We know that Chris isn't dead. His diary didn't open. And Niles and Ari have assured us that this had to happen. I think Chris is just trapped in another plane like we were when… you know… we made him? We just need to find a way to bring him back. Going back in time and vanquishing Gideon before it's his time may end up making things even worse. We never know what could happen. Imagine what would have happened if you three had vanquished Zhankou before defeating the Avatars? You guys wouldn't have had a chance against the combined strength of the Avatars if it weren't for the potion he told you about. Roland becoming an angel of destiny, Dan getting his elder powers, these are a few events that were caused by Gideon, directly or indirectly. Killing him before his role in this world's destiny is fulfilled might have disastrous effects," Leo explained. Piper was not angry anymore and rested her head on Leo's shoulder as he pulled her closer.

"I just want my baby back," Piper sobbed. Leo held her tight and planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"I know. And we're going to get him back. I promise," Leo said, tears glistening in his eyes.

"We'll do every thing in our power and fix this. But Leo's right. Time travel is not an option at the moment. Right now we have to focus on fixing the school. It's the first step towards bringing Chris back," Coop, who was silent for a long time, spoke up. Piper nodded and wiped her tears. Phoebe grabbed the book and began flipping through the pages looking for restoration spells. The sisters and their husbands went back to their original task to figure out a way to restore magic school to its former glory.

* * *

"Could you please read out the prophecy once again?" Prue asked as she sat down on aunt Perl's sofa besides Dan. Junior nodded and began reading from the parchment.

"Obviously, it is referring to coma as an endless dream…" Wyatt began but was interrupted by Junior.

"Or, we've been referring to an endless dream as coma," the blond witch-lighter said.

"What's the difference?" Wyatt asked frowning.

"May be Evan has been trapped in a dream all this time. The problem being magical in nature, any medications and treatments the mortal doctors would use are not likely to work. The doctors think it is coma because they don't have alternative explanation," Junior clarified.

"Alright. So how do we wake him up?" Carver asked eagerly. His brother was trapped in a dream and knowing their luck, it was most likely a hellish nightmare.

"First we need to figure out who 'three of his kin' are," Prue said thoughtfully.

"Doesn't kin mean siblings, children and parents?" Wyatt asked glancing at his boyfriend. Carver's parents had disowned him for being gay and Evan had, more or less, severed his ties with them because of the way they had treated his big brother. Wyatt hoped with all his heart that if need be, Carver's parents would help them rescue their youngest but he didn't really know them too well to be sure.

"Generally speaking, kin means people who share common ancestors. Next of kin are close relatives, by blood or by marriage. But prophecies don't always stick to the dictionary meaning of the words. So the word kin could include a broader group of people. For example, it could refer to all good witches as his kin. Or all witches with empathy or any cognitive power as his kin. I'm certain that it refers to Carv as 'the one of the blood' since brothers share blood," Junior explained.

"Well you guys are my family so…" Carv wasn't sure how to finish that sentence. He knew the Halliwells would do anything and everything for him but still he didn't want to sound demanding.

"Exactly. We're your kin, in a manner of speaking. And that's why I think the prophecy refers to Wyatt as 'the last of the might'. Think about it. Wyatt is the most powerful witch," Junior said excitedly. Dan stared at Junior with a glint in his eyes as the proverbial light bulb turned on over his head.

"Which means you're 'the one of wit'. It has to be you," the half manticore said rubbing his hands enthusiastically. He was proud of himself for being able to decipher part of the prophecy himself. The unconvinced expression on Junior's face was enough to make him doubt his revelation.

"What?" Dan asked frowning.

"If it is referring to Chris, we're screwed. Think about it. Chris is closer to Wyatt and consequently to Carv and Evan in kinship than I am…" Junior's explanation was interrupted by Wyatt.

"Odie, you're as much my brother as Chris is. So stop doubting yourself," the twice blessed said smiling.

"You were the first one to welcome me to the family, remember? We're kin," Carver stated remembering the evening Wyatt had introduced him to the family. Junior smiled wholeheartedly at this remark.

"So does that mean you, Carv and Wyatt have to enter Evan's dream?" Prue asked Junior. With a thoughtful expression, Junior began scanning through the e-book of shadows on his tablet.

"Think of it as a vision quest in which you're trapped till you see or do what you need to. Except, for some reason, Evan is unable to fulfill the quest and get out of the dream. I think the spell we used to send me to Chris's vision quest should work with some modifications," Junior muttered as he flipped through the virtual pages. After a minute, he came to a halt and showed them the spell he was referring to.

"Let's do it. What're we waiting for?" Wyatt said getting up from the chair.

"There is one problem. If you three are to enter Evan's dream with this spell, you need to be in close proximity to him. Just imagine one comatose guy surrounded by three of his family members equally unresponsive in a hospital room. The cleaners will have some serious cleaning up to do if any mortal enters the room in that time. Considering the fact that he's in ICU, he's probably being monitored constantly. We cannot just orb Evan here for the same reason," Prue noted. Carver grimaced. Wyatt was about to declare that he didn't really care if the cleaners had to do some overtime but Dan interrupted him.

"The dungeon!" he exclaimed referring to the room at magic school that had slowed down clock. He was beaming with pride for being the one to come up with the solution.

"Which was at the magic school, which is now destroyed," Reese rained on his parade. But Junior still had a hopeful expression on his face.

"That doesn't mean we cannot put the same kind of time slowing enchantment on Evan's room. All we have to do is have one of us stand guard outside Evan's room and make sure nobody enters it for about five minutes. With slowed down time inside the room, we should have more than enough time to perform the spell, get in, get Evan and get out," Junior said excitedly.

"What about the time stop spell?" Wyatt asked.

"Wouldn't give us more than a few seconds, fifteen at best. We're going to need Kevin. He's the one who enchanted the room at the school," Junior responded before turning to the sky and yelling for the young elder.

* * *

"The first time around, the school was built by gnomish architects. You guys might be able to convince them to help you out once again," Leo informed the sisters. After thorough search in the book, they hadn't come up with any solution. Leo was skeptical that a 'power of three' spell would be powerful enough on its own. A 'power of two' spell might have done the trick but in Chris's absence, they didn't have that option available.

"Do you think they will help us without the approval from the elders?" Paige asked skeptically.

"But you do have the approval from the council," came a voice from near the fireplace in the living room. All three sisters sprang to feet instinctually but within seconds Sandra appeared at the archway between the living room and the conservatory. All the present Halliwells visibly relaxed.

"Odin's paranoia has subsided considerably due to Chris's absence. I managed to convince the council that rebuilding the school is necessary for the development of future good witches. They agreed. I'm here to offer any assistance you might need in rebuilding the school," Sandra said with a kind smile on her face.

"I sense another Elder here. Are you spying on us?" Paige said suspiciously. She sensed another Elder but wasn't able to pinpoint the location.

"Kevin is in the attic. He's helping your children," Sandra said gesturing the sisters to calm down.

"Gnomes are master architects. You can summon one of their representatives and ask their chief to help you in rebuilding the school. I'm authorized to act on behalf of the elders," Sandra continued as the sisters settled down.

"OK. Let's get to work," Phoebe said picking up a notepad to work on the summoning spell.

* * *

It didn't take long for the younger generation of Halliwells to convince Kevin to enchant Evan's room. Odin would most likely be pissed but that possibility only served as encouragement for the young and rebellious elder. Within moments all of them were in Evan's room. Prue and Reese stood outside the room to stall any and all mortals who tried to enter the room while Dan stood guard inside to fend off any supernatural intruders who might drop in unannounced. Wyatt, Carver and Junior settled themselves on three relatively uncomfortable plastic chairs in the room and Kevin began the enchanting.

"What does the prophecy mean by open the door and settle the score? The only part I'm clear about is that I have to fight a clay golem," Wyatt asked Junior. Kevin threw an irritated glance at the twice blessed for disrupting his enchantment. Slowing time required immense concentration and Wyatt's chattering wasn't helping.

"I don't know. We're just going to have to wing it," he answered in a hushed voice after glancing at Kevin's annoyed expression. Wyatt wasn't happy with the answer but didn't say anything. It took Kevin another few minutes to finish his task.

"Cast the spell. I'll stay here and help Daniel, should something go wrong," Kevin told the Halliwells. Junior, Wyatt and Carver gulped down the potion for a vision quest before Junior began chanting the spell to transport them to Evan's dream.

* * *

"Why have you summoned me here? I've things to do," the gnome that stood at the center of the summoning circle said in his characteristically irritated voice. The gnomish community respected the elders and the charmed ones alike but that didn't mean he had to be happy about the summoning.

"My name is Sandra and these are the charmed ones; Piper, Phoebe and Paige," the elder said in a calm voice as if to remind the gnome of proper manners through example. The gnome seemed a bit embarrassed for a second. He straightened his red pointy hat before clearing his throat and speaking.

"I'm Seed, spokesperson for the gnomish settlement at Konaakth. Now, what do you want?" Seed uttered the first sentence in relatively neutral tone but the irritation was back by the end of the question.

"We need help from Gnomish architects to rebuild our magic school that was destroyed by the last source. The gnomes were the ones to design the school before. We're hoping to acquire your services for the greater good once again," Sandra spoke before any of the sisters had a chance to utter a single word. Piper snorted at the use of phrase 'greater good' but surprisingly so did the gnome.

"It is out of the question. All our architects are busy at the moment and will remain so for the foreseeable future," Seed said in a cold voice. Sandra was about to speak on the elder's behalf but she was interrupted by Leo.

"The sisters have helped the gnomish community before on many occasions. Surely your clan could spare few to help the charmed ones. Why are all your architects busy?" the ex-elder asked the gnome.

"That is a private matter of my clan. _Outsiders_ have no business knowing it," Seed said folding his arms and looking away as if there was nothing else that needs to be said. The sisters didn't miss the stress on the word 'outsiders'.

"Interesting, a private matter that keeps all your architects busy, especially at the time when the source has been vanquished and many upper level demons are making a power play for the throne. Let me guess, some of them are attacking the Gnomish settlement to acquire some powerful artifact locked away with your treasures. The demons constantly attack and destroy your settlements and your architects are busy rebuilding the city defenses. May be your people find it embarrassing to ask the charmed ones for help or you people want to keep the existence of some powerful artifact a secret. Or may be the reason behind this secrecy is combination of both," came a voice from the kitchen door. Niles was standing there. The sisters were startled for a moment before they realized it was Niles. Piper was a bit irritated because Niles was apparently spying on their conversation but before she could express her annoyance, the gnome spoke up.

"You're a shrewd one, aren't you? Very well. Perhaps this _involuntary trip_ is not a complete waste of time. May be we can agree upon, let's say, exchange of services," Seed said thoughtfully. He stressed on the words 'involuntary trip' while staring meaningfully at the sisters. Paige and Phoebe squirmed a little while Piper only scowled.

"Let me guess. We fight your demons and in return your architects rebuild the school," Piper said raising her eyebrows.

"As long as you pay for the building materials," the gnome said smugly.

"Come now. The demons will keep attacking your settlement if the sisters refuse to help. Your people will have to continue rebuilding your city for years to come. What a waste of resources. Think of all the gold you will save by helping out the charmed ones," Niles said smiling sweetly.

"The charmed ones are good witches. It is their duty to help the magical community," the gnome said thoroughly enjoying the negotiation process.

"Indeed. And help they will. Then again, you, as a representative of the gnomes, haven't asked for help. You said and I quote, 'we can agree upon, let's say, exchange of services'. Since it is a trade, they retain the right to refuse. They have suffered a terrible loss recently. So even if they accept said exchange of services, who knows how long it will take for them to actually be in a position to fulfill their end of the bargain. And who knows how much more damage your city will incur in the mean time," Niles said without letting the vicious yet sweet smile fade from his face. He had the gnome exactly where he wanted. Piper was about to interrupt but Leo held her arm and silently asked her to let Niles do the talking.

"Nothing is official yet. We can always make an official request for help from the charmed ones, one they're duty-bound to grant," the gnome said smugly.

"Fair enough. But in such case the gnomish settlement of Konaakth will incur a debt of honor to the charmed ones. Refusing their request for help or making them pay for your services is not going to do much for your reputation in the magical community," Niles said, his voice suddenly cold. Seed scowled for a moment. He didn't see any way out but to accept Niles's terms and conditions.

"Very well. Just as a matter of curiosity, who are you? Do you have the authorization from the charmed ones to negotiate on their behalf?" the gnome asked looking for a loophole.

"Yes he does have the authority to negotiate on our behalf," Piper said unexpectedly. She knew they couldn't have come up with a better bargain on their own, especially not without the knowledge of gnomish culture that Niles seemed to have. They were getting help from the gnomes in rebuilding the school without having to pay for the building material from their own pocket and in return they were handed the opportunity to kick some demon ass. It was a win-win situation, really. Paige, Phoebe, Leo, Coop and Henry Sr. glanced at the Halliwell matriarch in surprise. They had no problem with the terms of the agreement. They just didn't expect Piper to side with Niles. The future boy glanced at Piper with something akin to fondness in his eyes and smiled sweetly. Although a bit hesitantly, Piper returned the smile. For some reason, Niles was beginning to remind her of her lost son. Besides, she didn't share her eldest son's strong mistrust towards the elusive visitor from the future.

"My identity or my relationship with the charmed ones is a private matter. You're welcome to speculate but we're not obligated to provide any _outsiders_ with those intimate details," Niles responded turning to the gnome and stressing on the word 'outsiders' just like the gnome had. Seed's eyes flashed with indescribable expression but he didn't comment.

"So it is settled. The charmed ones will assist the gnomes of Konaakth with the demon invasion and in return the gnomish architects will rebuild the magic school and bear the cost of building material. If both parties agree to these terms as fair, I can affirm it as a magically binding agreement," Sandra declared. The sisters nodded their agreement. After a moment's hesitation, Seed did too.

* * *

"Where the hell are we?" Wyatt asked as soon as he could see clearly. The three were standing in a stone archway that led to a stone bridge on one side and an endless void on the other. Instinctively, the three stepped away from the void and on to the bridge. As soon as they did, the Arch collapsed behind them. Wyatt, Junior and Carver sprinted away from the falling stones. Carver grabbed Wyatt's arm and pulled him away from the edge of the stone bridge. Beneath the bridge, spread the same abysmal emptiness that was behind them. Part of the bridge they had traversed also collapsed and they could feel that the bridge under their feet was unstable as well.

"Run!" Junior yelled as he sprinted to the other end of the bridge. Wyatt and Carver followed momentarily, just in the nick of time to avoid falling in the abyss. They could have ran for about half a mile as if their lives depended on it, which it did.

"What in hell?" Wyatt said between panting as the three reached another archway at the other end of the unstable bridge. The twice blessed wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead and turned to his boyfriend.

"Are you OK?" he asked Carver. The telepath only nodded.

"Welcome. Dream walkers, or shall I say kin of the Catalyst? Welcome to my realm. What, may I ask, brings you here?" came a booming voice. Junior, startled, turned to the direction of the voice and froze in place. In front of them, stood a huge beast that somewhat resembled a dragon but was far hideous as compared to the elegant and regal dragons.

"You know who we are?" Junior said as he regained his voice. The creature chuckled.

"Azany Blackheart knows you're kin of the Catalyst. Your arrival was foretold. Yet, Azany Blackheart does not know the purpose of your visit," the creature said. It was not clear to Junior if the creature was Azany Blackheart and referring to itself in third person or there was some other sinister being who ruled here.

"What is your purpose here?" Junior asked. The creature gestured to the large wooden door in the massive stonewall behind it.

"I guard this door," it answered simply.

"And what is the purpose of this stone altar?" Junior asked pointing to a stone block in front of them. The top of the stone block was divided into two parts which slanted on opposite sides like roof of a house. Both of the surfaces were riddled with narrow grooves that intertwined and formed an indiscernible pattern. At the highest point of the slanted surfaces, there were two slight depressions that formed a sort of bowls. It was clear to Junior that if any kind of liquid were poured into the bowl, it would flow into the grooves on the slanted surfaces and reveal some hidden pattern.

"I have the power to grant a single wish in return for a small amount of blood sacrifice. If you have a wish I can fulfill, just pour a small amount of blood right here on the altar. That will satisfy me and I will grant any single wish. Gold, kingdom, all the comforts in the world, I can grant anything," the creature said in a greedy voice.

"May be this is it. I need to use my blood and wish for him to open the door for us," Carver whispered to Junior. '_The one of the blood will open the door_', the third line of the prophecy made more sense now.

"I assume the drawing of the blood constitutes a binding agreement?" Junior asked the creature. The beast only nodded.

"And the other side of the alter is for your side of the agreement, yes?" Junior asked shrewdly. The creature hesitated for a moment but nodded and offered Junior an ornate atheme. Carver took the atheme from Junior and was about to slice open his wrist to draw some blood. He was about to wish for the door to be opened but Junior shook his head. Understanding the gesture, Carver asked the witch-lighter telepathically.

"_What is it?_" Carver said in Junior's mind.

"_Don't ask just for the door to be open. Ask to open the door so that brother of the listener may see his kin,_" Junior responded in his mind. Carver nodded understandingly.

"I wish the door to be open so the brother of the listener may see his kin," Carver said out loud and placed the blade against his wrist.

"Careful how much you cut. We cannot heal self-inflicted wounds. It'll have to heal naturally," Wyatt cautioned his boyfriend.

"You as well," Junior said to the creature shrewdly who chuckled and cut open a small wound on its enormous finger. Its black, tar-like blood began dripping on the farther side of the alter as Carver's blood began soaking the nearer. As expected, the blood flowed through tiny grooves to reveal a readable pattern. Junior was watching the pattern on the demon's side while Wyatt was eagerly watching Carver's side of the altar.

_I agree to grant the wish in return for the sacrifice._

The pattern on the demon's side revealed the demon's part of the agreement. Wyatt gasped in horror as the pattern on Carver's side was revealed by his own blood.

_I offer myself as sustenance for the guardian in return for the fulfillment of one wish._

The beast had tricked them. Before either of the Halliwells could react, the beast stepped forward and hungrily swallowed Carver whole.

* * *

**So ends the third chapter.**

**Evil cliffhanger, I know but the next chapter will follow soon.**

**Kindly read and review.**


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